Have you looked at DuroDesign cork flooring? Both colors and quality were far better than other cork we saw. We used their glue-down tiles on a bathroom floor and kitchen wall. Looks great and easy to clean.

Cork could still be a good idea. Don't get the grey. As ntruro mentioned, there are many companies that make cork flooring.
There are also some amazing vinyl floors by Armstrong.
If you are OK with ceramic tile, I have the ceramic tiles that look like wood planks in my tv room. It is off the garage and gets lots of traffic. I love this floor. It comes in every wood tone color. The downside of course is that tile is hard and cold. But, people get around that by using a gel mat near the sink, where you have to stand for longer periods of time.

celtinNE, have you considered marmoleum? It is green and relatively soft:
http://www.forbo-flooring.us/Residential-Flooring/Products/Marmoleum-sheet-tile/Neutral-Color-Collaborators/

While hardwood isn't "cushy", it is far softer than tile and is easier on the feet/back. I think with your cabinets you could go with a blond wood like maple or birch, or maybe darker like walnut?

I love the idea of cork floors, but I must admit I've never seen an application that I really liked, doesn't mean you won't find the perfect cork floor though. Good luck!

a colleague at work put in cork and while she likes it the edges are starting to curl and she is afraid about water getting on it. any reason to not put oak back in?

babushka_cat, I'm afraid of more settling (although the GC joisted the ceiling in the basement), I'm still afraid. Cork is fairly expensive so I don't want to do this twice.

sochi, I just searched for marmoleum, there is only 1 retailer in my area but I will check it out. I have considered more oak, but it didn't stand up well in the kitchen. Lots of refinishing. Thanks for the luck!

celtinNE,

You can do the Marmoleum Click yourself. If you go to the Forbo site, you can order as many samples as you want (6 at a time, but you can order over and over again).

You can order the product directly from:
http://www.greenbuildingsupply.com/Public/Home/index.cfm

or
http://www.dwellsmart.com/Products/Marmoleum-Click/Marmoleum-Click-Panel

We are having the Caribbean sheet installed on Sunday.

We had issues with Marmoleum, but I like the look. The cork in gray you posted is similar to one of our tiles in Marm (that will be replaced by er,... something else, soon). I think the gray would be nice but you need lots of samples because grays vary a lot. Since your bs is mellow, you can do a "pattern" like the cork you showed because at eye level, it looks closer to a solid color. I'd not do an actual solid because those show scratches more. I have 3 different tiles mixed and the more solid ones show more.

Just curious why your oak didn't stand up? I had oak in a previous house with poly coating and it was perfect for 9 years and then I moved :) I love wood floors in a kitchen!

I also used durodesign glue down although i used the large 2 x 4 "tiles'
18 months or so later and it still looks brand new and no curling or anything
I think one of their advantages is that you seal the whole thing once it is down
Their colours are excellent ( they have 54 ) and also have 6 different patterns to choose from
they are also very generous with giving samples to play with

good luck and i am glad a duro rep is coming to see you
I think yo will be happy

Celticne,
The good luck is pouring in. I am thrilled for you.
I love Sochi's idea of Marmoleum. This is not your grannie's
linoleum floors.

Okay the ideas of different floors. I think you are
worried about color tone, and will it work?
How about some images to show you what gray would be like
or maybe a cream or brown... different ideas to get your
mind thinking.

Shaw floor tile

Marmoleum comes in many colors

Porcelain I know you don't want something like this
but again the color tone with the cabs is why I am
posting the image.

Shaw floor tile ( Just notice the color not the kind
of tile, you can find this with a synthetic option )

Mannigton Benchmark Kingsbridge

Limestone ( I know you want something other than this
but notice the tone with the cabs. You can find this
in a vinyl or synthetic option)

I have more floor pictures of vinyl but want to see
which color tone you like. Don't worry about brands
there are 1000s of brands. Check out these names to see
if you can find what you like.

Karndean, Nafco, Mannigton, Armstrong, Congoleaum, Tarkett,
quickstep, Shaw, APC Cork, Konecto...

The cork tile you had in your old post might just be a
poor quality. There are cork floors that can be bleached
very light to an almost cream color with a pattern that
looks like marble. And it can be stained to a dark, dark
chocolate or slate gray. Let see what colors you love
first.

~thinking of you and happy to post more images if there
is something further you wish to see.
~boxerpups

Thanks senator13, I'll be ordering some samples today. Good luck with your install. Could you please post pics when it is done? TIA.

dianalo, if you don't mind me asking, what sort of issues are you having with your Marmoleum? Good point about the solid colors. Thanks for the heads up.

I don't necessarily think it was the oak floors themselves, athensmomof3. When the kids were growing up, the kitchen was a very high traffic area. Kids, friends, pets, and lots of them. The kids would go from the pool to the kitchen, with wet sandy feet :( Although that's not as much of an issue, it's still in my thought process.

Thanks so much for that feedback, muspic. Good to know the glue down is holding up well. I think the curling issue may be with the floating variety. Will you have to reseal at some point? That's not an issue for me, just asking. Do you have a pic of yours you would be willing to post? Thanks!

I posted pix of my ceramic tile on the other thread. Looks like you are getting comments on both at the same time.

Wowzer Boxer :O You are my hero! I've got lots of happy homework to do this afternoon (but 1st mow the lawn). That 2nd pic down looks like a lot of fun.

Is this the cork you were referring to? It's a bleach white.

{{!gwi}}

OT My guys are sending your guys a great big hug of thanks for ridding me of the bad juju. I even found (finally) my camera charger, in of all places, with the GC's tools in the garage. Yikes!

Quidditch

And the Golden Snitch

ellendi, responding to your reply from the bad juju post. I agree about going lighter, did not know about the 2 shades thing though. I looked online at the wood tile planks. It's incredible how real they look. I'll have to give my tile house a call Monday to see if they carry it so I can pick up some samples. Thanks a bunch!

Our Marm problems are from scratching. We used drop cloths and large sheets of cardboard to protect them during the kitchen work and they scratched regardless. We also developed some gauges from moving the fridge & freezer but that was after we knew the floors would be replaced and they were no longer babied. Long story, but the surface wear is the only relevant part for others to be concerned about. I had hoped they'd stand up better but at the few months mark, they have some real signs of wear.

We are strongly considering cork or vinyl. Armstrong's version of linoleum may have similar issues as the Marm as we were able to scratch the sample fairly easily, despite the reviews saying they scratch less than the Marm.

FWIW - if you install factory finished wood, you get much better wear on it than site finished. I would never consider site finished for wood floors in our house's kitchen because we have an open floor plan and the kitchen would wear sooner than the rest of the space. I'd hate to have to re-do everything when only some spots needed doing. We are adding mahogany factory finished floors to our dining room and den and are undecided for the kitchen. We are not doing the mahogany in our kitchen because the look would not work well for the vibe we want. The living room and hallways have oak floors which will be refinished to complement the mahogany. They can never match, but they can coordinate.

I love the bullet proof nature of tile, but it is too hard on my feet. I have dealt with pinched nerves in my feet in the past and don't want to go through that ever again. The cork, Marm, wood, etc... is easier on feet and joints, so since we plan on staying long term, that is important. I am in my 40s now, but when I am much older, it will be even more critical to have the softer floors. I also like that the softer choices are less cold to the touch and things shatter less when dropped. YMMV

Celticne,

Ooooh I love your beautiful dogs.

So glad you are feeling better. No worries you will find
your dream floor and it will go wonderfully with your
space. The cork floor I meant was this one but the one you
posted is really beautiful too.

This is called Corkoleum check out HGTV on new
products for floors.

These are vinyl tiles. This could be an intersting
option....

more pics of cork...

And this is Tarkett I believe a laminate vinyl type product

Thanks for explaining that, dianalo. If they are showing such sign of wear after only a few of months, that would not really be an option for me. I won't be able to afford to replace. I think that's why I am having such a difficult time with this decision.
Your comments on the prefinished hardwoods makes me think my issues with them were just for that reason. Mine were finished onsite in the early 90's. Very high maintenance, for me at least. I'd rather cook than be a clean slave!
I love the almost bullet proof nature of tile as well. The few tiles that broke in the downstairs bath were easily replaced and regrouted. I had 2 knee surgeries and tile hardness is a concern. That's why the cork is such a strong contender, for me at least. I just wish I could find one that works. I've read on this site about the shattering thing. I'm not a klutz but things happen.
Bee, I love that white/grey. Perhaps it will tie in the stainless apps. The flooring guy just called and he's coming Wednesday with lots of samples, from many suppliers. I told him this was my 5th flooring place. I�ve brought samples of cabs, BS, and SS, it looks great in the showroom, but not when I get it in the space. It feels sooo wrong. Clearly defective here. But help is on the way:) Thank you so very much for your help and encouragement. In the words of my high school students, you are the schizzle:) After all this planning, I don�t want to settle. I want my heart to sing, as other posters, have said.

Good luck. You are so right about what happens when you bring the smples home in your lghting.

If you are saying there is only one retailer of Marmoleum near you because that is all that is shown on Forbo's website, there may very well be more of them. I tried using their on-line locator and it did not show a retailer that I know installs it, they have a huge display in their store. I called around and found another, closer retailer. So I suggest calling around to some flooring stores in your area.

Apparently I will have to reseal in about 5 to 7 years

( by the way - the price of the cork includes the sealer - at least for the initial application)

my colour and pattern is Barriga in august brown

close up ( I think this is unsealed or after 1 or 2 layers (instead of all 4 - yes 4 layers of seal )

bigger area

by the way I just thought i should add that I use a couple of their sample boards under my desk to rest my feet upon since it is so comfy
i have never cleaned them or actually looked closely at them until now
Other than the names of the colours on the stickers having become illegible the product looks marvelous!

I will be happy to. I am very excited about the install. We have several friends that have had the sheet in their houses and they love it. My one friend has 3 small children and 3 dogs (big dogs-two are police dogs), and she love how great it cleans up. My daughter and husband both have allergies, so I am hoping this will help them.

Ellendi, I've been amazed at how dramatically the samples change in color when you get them home. The last 3 stores I've been to, I've even taken the sample boards outside, in the shade to get a more accurate color choice, to no avail.

Senator13, good luck with the install today! No wonder you are so excited. Hope all goes smoothly and I can't wait to see them!!

Bozer, I had some friends over last night, to look over the ideas you posted. We all really liked the colors in the last 3. They appear to mix the brown tones and grey tones well. Not too dark and not too light, not too busy. I liked (think it's really fun) the 2nd one down, but everyone thought it might be too busy. And even more difficult to try to match many different colors. The 4th from the bottom, we love the colors, but think bigger size tiles would be a better option. Thanks for your help!! BTW, they were amazed that a group of strangers would be so kind and incredible to take the time to help. I completely agree.

PS - lashing with apologies for calling you Bee in my last follow up :( I must have flooritis.

dekeoboe, I tried to Google search Marm in RI this morning with no luck. I will try to call some places tomorrow. Thanks!

OHHH, muspic, your flooring is really beautiful!! Did you choose to do 4 coats for a particular reason? If you don't mind me asking, what kind of sealer did you use? Thanks again for your feedback from someone who has it.

it is the sealer that Durodesign provides and they said to do 4 coats so that's what we did
(apparently you need only 2 coats for resealing in the 5 to 7 year for residential)

it was very easy to do it
you just use a sponge sweepy thing all in one direction
next time in the next direction etc
Also i will add that the floor was installed wall to wall
then cardboard was put down for the cabinets to be installed
the board was left down for all the other work but it didn't actually go right up to the cabinets

Once all the work was done and the sealing was going to be done I washed it all with soapy water - applying very
liberally, but section by section
then I rinsed well
then wiped with paper towel
then wiped again with damp towel to make sure all the soap was gone and then dried again
probably overkill but I was having so much fun seeing the beauty and i tell you this just to let you know that the water did no harm

also i will try find my camera so i can take a pic of the threshold of the cork with the tile in the hallway
we decided to just leave them flush against each other and there is no warping or lifting there
i just thought of that
also the Art Gallery of Ontario has cork floor

Here is a picture of the Marmoleum. My husband didn't get a very good close up shot of the kitchen, so I am sending one of the bathroom. We used the same color, caribbean, in all three baths, the laundry room, the foyer, hallway from the garage and kitchen. I can get a better picture of the kichen tomorrow when the cabinets are installed. But it looks great and feels good underneath, too!

That is just beautiful, senator13. Congratulations and good luck with the cabs! How exciting. I look forward to seeing more. I can't even see any seams!

muspic, thanks so much for that detailed explanation. I'll be ready with questions when he comes with samples Wednesday. I really want the cork now and hope I can find a pattern and color that will work!

There are no seams in the bathroom, as we did the sheet and it comes in a width of a little over 6.5 ft. The kitchen has a seam, however, and it is not noticible at all. He did a great job on it.

In this picture you can see a small corner in the left where the next sheet goes:

And after...can you see the seam?

I love it! It sounds like you do to. It is beautiful. I love the color and can't wait to see more. I can't see a seam and I enlarged it. Your guy did a job very well done! congrats.